1. Field of Invention
The present embodiment relates to a tie-down device that secures a portable propane tank to the inside surface of a tailgate of a pickup truck for safe transportation.
2. Prior Art
Propane tanks come in a variety of sizes, depending on the purpose involved. There are, on the one hand, small disposable propane tanks that are used for outdoor activities like camping, where they are utilized for cooking when attached to a stove, or lighting when attached to a lamp. These small tanks are disposed of when empty.
There are also large propane tanks that are used for industrial or residential purposes. These large tanks are placed in position at a location and remain in a static position. When they require filling, a propane truck delivers the liquid propane and fills the tank by means of a hose.
Now there are a variety of sizes of propane tanks used in the recreational vehicle field, and also for BBQ cookers, used by millions of homeowners in their backyards. Many businesses also utilize these portable propane tanks for powering forklifts. These propane tanks are most commonly of the 20 lb, or 5 gallon, and the 30 lb, or 7 gallon sizes. These propane tanks have the same diameter, but vary in height, according to the capacity.
When these portable propane tanks are empty, they have to be transported from a BBQ or recreational trailer to a refilling depot or station for filling. They are heavy and difficult to carry and most people transport them in the bed of a pickup truck. Many people use a bungee, rope or string to tie the tank down for transportation, or somehow wedge the tank behind some object in the bed of the truck.
However, when accelerating, braking or making sharp turns, these tanks can easily be dislodged or slide, becoming dangerous missiles which can pose a significant risk to others. In the past, these propane tanks have been known to explode, causing serious consequences. Many people transporting these propane tanks do not realize exactly how dangerous they can be.
No device exists on the market today that can be used to safely and securely transport these propane tanks in the bed of a pickup truck. A possible reason is because the device must be strong enough to retain the tank in the event of sudden hard stops or turns. Also it should not be permanently mounted in the pickup truck bed thereby taking up too much space when not in use.
Also, such a device would require drilling into the truck frame to secure the device, or clamp to the side-rail of the pickup bed. Most people do not want to cause possible damage or scratches to their trucks. Furthermore, the device should be simple to use, and fold up for easy storage when not in use.
Devices that hold propane tanks in the bed of a pickup truck are, in general, known. These devices differ substantially in design, material respects and use thereof. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for understanding the disadvantages and problems inherent in these devices.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 7,131,618 to Berry (2006) is only a base stand for keeping the tank upright in the bed of a pick-up truck, but does not address the problem of keeping the propane tank secure to the truck at all. Any sudden and hard braking would still result in the propane tank becoming a dangerous missile, with serious consequences.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,198 to Darby (2005) discloses a complicated device that clamps to one of the sidewalls of the bed of a pickup truck. This device is only attached to the truck at one point, the top rim of the sidewall. So in the event of sudden hard stops, the device and tank could pivot on this one point, leading to possible serious torque and damage to the device, tank and truck. It is also of a complicated design which does not lend itself to easy manufacturing. This device also needs tools to install and remove, thereby making it complicated to use.
The only device that utilizes the concept of attaching to the tailgate of a pickup truck is the “Tie Down Anchor”, U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,744 to Parkins (2002). This device utilizes a single strap attached to the tailgate of a pickup truck, and is a general use anchor to which another tie-down must be attached to be effective. If strap 38 of the “Tie Down Anchor” were to encompass a cargo in the bed of the pickup truck as well as the tailgate, then the parts shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,744 would not be necessary. This device is also of a complicated design that would not effectively keep an object secure as it has only one attachment point to the pickup truck, thus allowing for lateral and longitudinal movement, pivoting at this one point.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a propane tank tie-down device that is safe, secure, simple to use and inexpensive to manufacture. The device should also adapt to fit the most common sizes of portable propane tanks for transport in the bed of a pickup truck, and attached to the tailgate of the truck. The tie-down device must have near universal usage ability so that the device can be used on a wide variety of pickup truck tailgates.